Side-by-side · Research reference
CortagenvsVilon
Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.
AAnimal-MechanisticHUMAN-REVIEWED11/35 cited
BAnimal-StrongHUMAN-REVIEWED13/49 cited
Cortagen
Bioregulatory Tetrapeptide · Khavinson-School
Injectable · Animal models
Vilon
Khavinson Bioregulator · Dipeptide
Literature lacks standardised clinical route
01Mechanism of Action
Parameter
Cortagen
Vilon
Primary target
Cerebral cortex tissue — molecular targets under investigation
Immune cell differentiation pathways, chromatin modification
Pathway
Antioxidant pathway modulation — suppression of LPO cascade, reduction of protein oxidative modificationKozina 2007
Vilon → Thymocyte sphingomyelinase activation → T-helper & cytotoxic T-cell differentiation; epigenetic suppression of aging markers (CCL11, HMGB1)
Downstream effect
Decreased lipid peroxidation products, reduced oxidative protein damage, altered gene expression in cardiac tissueKozina 2007Anisimov 2004
Enhanced T-cell differentiation (CD4+, CD8+, B-cells), thymocyte proliferation, modulated IL-1β comitogenic activity, proposed chromatin decondensation in aged lymphocytesLinkova 2011Khavinson 2002Lezhava 2023
Feedback intact?
—
Unknown — no HPA/HPG axis data
Origin
Synthetic tetrapeptide derived from amino acid analysis of natural brain cortex peptide preparation CortexinAnisimov 2004
Synthetic dipeptide derived from Khavinson thymic peptide extraction studies (Thymalin fraction)Morozov 1997
Antibody development
—
—
02Dosage Protocols
Parameter
Cortagen
Vilon
Animal model dose (rat)
Injection protocol (dose not specified in abstracts)
Multiple injections over study period.
—
Avian model dose (chicken)
40-day injection courseKuznik 2008
Compared to epithalon in hypophysectomized and aged birds.
—
Human peripheral nerve study
Therapeutic course (protocol details not provided)
Posttraumatic recovery context — reference cited but not detailed.
—
Evidence basis
Animal mechanistic studies
Mouse / in vitro only
Route
Injectable (inferred from animal protocols)
Likely SQ or oral (Khavinson school uses both); no published ROA validation
Standard dose
—
No clinical standard — literature lacks human dosing
Russian practice: often combined with other Khavinson peptides; no FDA/EMA trials.
Animal model dose
—
In vitro: 0.01–10 μg/mL culture medium (mouse thymocytes)
Not translatable to human mg/kg without pharmacokinetic data.
Frequency
—
Unknown — literature does not specify chronic administration protocols
Duration
—
Not characterised in humans
Half-life
—
Not published — dipeptides typically <10 min plasma t½
04Side Effects & Safety
Parameter
Cortagen
Vilon
Antioxidant suppression
Suppression of antioxidant activity noted alongside LPO reductionKozina 2007
Mechanism unclear — possible homeostatic adaptation.
—
Immune/hemostasis effects
No effect on immunity or hemostasis parameters in avian hypophysectomy model (unlike epithalon)Kuznik 2008
Epithalon reversed deficits; cortagen did not.
—
Human safety data
No adverse events reported in peripheral nerve recovery context
Limited detail in available abstracts.
Absent from PubMed-indexed literature
Theoretical risk
—
Immune hyperactivation in autoimmune-prone individuals (T-cell differentiation enhancement)
Antibody formation
—
Not reported; dipeptides generally low immunogenicity
Animal models
—
No adverse effects noted in mouse thymocyte or pineal lymphoid cultures
Absolute Contraindications
Cortagen
—Vilon
- ·Active autoimmune disease (theoretical — no clinical data)
Relative Contraindications
Cortagen
—Vilon
- ·Pregnancy / lactation (no safety data)
- ·Acute infection with cytokine storm risk (immune modulation unknown)
05Administration Protocol
Parameter
Cortagen
Vilon
1. Preparation
Reconstitute lyophilised peptide with bacteriostatic water per supplier protocol. Exact volumes depend on concentration supplied.
No clinical protocols exist in Western peer-reviewed literature. Russian gerontological practice may use 1–10 mg ranges, but dosing is empirical.
2. Injection site
Subcutaneous injection typical for bioregulatory peptides — abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.
Subcutaneous injection (common for Khavinson peptides) or oral (some bioregulators reportedly active orally due to small size). No validated ROA.
3. Timing
Animal protocols used repeated dosing over weeks. Human timing not established — evening administration common in Khavinson tradition.
Unknown — no circadian or meal-timing data. Khavinson school often recommends morning administration.
4. Storage
Lyophilised: refrigerate or freeze per supplier. Reconstituted: refrigerate 2–8 °C, use within guideline window.
Likely lyophilised powder, refrigerated. Reconstitution protocols not published.
06Stack Synergy
Cortagen
— no documented stacks
Vilon
+ Epitalon
ModerateBoth are Khavinson bioregulators targeting aging pathways. Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) acts on telomerase and pineal function; Vilon on immune differentiation and chromatin decondensation. Combined in Russian gerontological protocols for multi-system aging intervention. Lezhava et al. (2023) tested both on aged lymphocyte chromatin, showing distinct epigenetic effects. Complementary, not synergistic in strict pharmacological sense.
- Vilon
- Empirical — no standard
- Epitalon
- Empirical — often 10 mg cycles
- Frequency
- Sequential or concurrent (literature ambiguous)
- Primary benefit
- Multi-system aging modulation (immune + pineal/circadian)
+ Thymalin
WeakThymalin is the parent polypeptide complex from which Vilon was isolated. Both target immune differentiation, but Thymalin is a complex mixture (multiple peptides), whereas Vilon is a purified dipeptide. Morozov & Khavinson (1997) described Vilon as a synthetic successor designed to replicate Thymalin's immunomodulatory effects with greater specificity. Redundant in practice; no published combination studies.
- Vilon
- No standard
- Thymalin
- 10–100 mg IM (polypeptide complex)
- Primary benefit
- Redundant — both target T-cell differentiation